The
following is a list of foods that are allowed (legal)
and foods that are not allowed (illegal)
while following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet™, as outlined in the
book,
Breaking the Vicious Cycle by
Elaine Gottschall. The SCD™ is a progressive diet and the
introduction
of many of these foods should be delayed until healing has taken
place, please read the book "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" for
further information.

Some general guidelines are, no grains (i.e. rice, wheat, corn, oats, etc.),
no processed foods, no starchy vegetables (i.e. potatoes, yams, etc.), no canned
vegetables of any kind, no flour, no sugar, no sweeteners other than honey
and saccharin, and no milk products except for homemade yogurt fermented for
24 hours, prepared according to the instructions in the book.

We do not use algae (Spirulina)
because IBD involves the immune system and algae can aggravate an
already disturbed immune system.

Allspice

Legal

As long as you're just
using Allspice as a cooking spice, it's legal. Don't use the oil,
see Allspice

Almond butter

Legal

Almond butter with no
sugar added is allowed.

Almond milk

Legal

May be tried after being
on the diet for 6 months. Almond milk is legal if you make your own. Commercial almond milk is not legal.

Almond oil

Legal

Almonds

Legal

Nuts sold in mixtures
are not allowed, as most are roasted with a starch coating. Nuts should
only be used as nut flour, in recipes, until diarrhea has subsided.

Aloe Vera

Illegal

It contains mucilaginous
polysaccharides as well as increasing the release of tumor necrosis
factor which is associated with IBD inflammation and increased immune
stimulation.

Amaranth flour

Illegal

Amaranth is a grain substitute, contains starches and so is not allowed.

Anchovies

Legal

Annatto

Legal

It is OK to use while on SCD, but some people choose to purchase dairy products without it. It might provoke an allergic reaction in some people.

Apple Cider

Legal

It is brown and not clear
as apple juice is. It should be just straight pressed apples. It is
usually pasteurized in order to kill bacteria. Cider should be diluted
with water before drinking.

Apple Cider Vinegar

See Note

Only legal WITHOUT "The Mother" in it, it must be filtered! "The Mother" looks like a "cob-web" like stringy structure with tentacles that either floats or settles at the bottom of the bottle. In general this is what turns alcohol into vinegar. Elaine did not want us consuming this as it can feed bad yeasts. The company Spectrum has a legal filtered one. IE. Braggs ACV is illegal as it contains "The Mother". It is possible to strain "The Mother" out yourself by using a very fine sieve.

Apple Juice

Illegal

Apple juice usually has
sugar added during processing. Apple cider is allowed. It should be
brown and not clear as apple juice is. Cider should be diluted with
water before drinking.

Apples

Legal

Apricots

Legal

Aragula

Legal

Arrowroot

Illegal

It is a mucilaginous herb.
Mucilaginous herbs are loaded with starch. This starch is food for
the pathogens that the SCD™ is designed to starve out.

When symptom free, one
aspartame sweetened soft drink per week is allowed - Elaine. But see Aspartame

Aspartic acid

Legal

Astragalus

Illegal

contains polysaccharides

Avocadoes

Legal

Avocado oil

Legal

Good for mayonaise and salad dressings but might not withstand
heat very well

Bacon

Legal

Smoked bacon that has
been fried very crisply is allowed once per week. There are sugar-free
bacons available and if you are able to find a source of sugar-free
bacon, you do not have to limit your consumption to once per week.
Usually the low sodium varieties do not contain sugar but check the
labels carefully.

Baker's yeast

Illegal

Saccharamyces cerevisae
is baker's yeast and is illegal.

Baking powder

Illegal

Has starch as an ingredient,
(usually corn starch) and other illegals to make it rise better.

Baking soda

Legal

Balsamic vinegar

Illegal

It's not that balsamic
vinegar is illegal, it's that what you can get in the store isn't
really balsamic vinegar and most have sugar added to them so Elaine
doesn't allow it. You can make your own legal substitute though
see scdrecipe

Bananas

Legal

They must be ripe with
black spots on the skin.

Bark tea

Illegal

Bark tea (Pau d'Arco)
contains steroidal saponins and is both an immune booster and a laxative.

Barley

Illegal

Basil

Legal

Bay Leaf

Legal

Bean flour

See Note

Do not use ready made
flours made from beans or lentils as they probably weren't soaked
prior to grinding to bean
flour -

Fresh and frozen are allowed
as long as nothing has been added during processing; check the labels
carefully.

Beer

Illegal

Beet Sugar

Illegal

Beets

Legal

Berries

Legal

Berries of all kinds are
legal.

Bhindi

Illegal

No okra (bhindi) or drumsticks,
since they are a mucilaginous food, they are illegal.

Bitter Gourd

Illegal

Black beans

Legal

May be tried when symptom
free. This is a very advanced food and caution is advised.. Dried legumes must be prepared according to the instructions
in the
book, Breaking the Vicious Cycle.'

Black eye beans

Illegal

Black radish

Legal

It is very fibrous, so go slowly and be careful.

Blue cheese

Legal

May be used occasionally.

Bok Choy

Legal

Bok Choy is much like
cabbage and is legal but you should not use a member of the cabbage
family until you are well on your way to getting better. In other
words, do not use if you still have diarrhea and
gas.

Bologna

Illegal

Bouillon cubes

Illegal

Bouillon cubes and instant
soup bases are not permitted.

Bourbon

Legal

Only have it occasionally.

Brandy

Illegal

Brazil nuts

Legal

Nuts sold in mixtures
are not allowed, as most are roasted with a starch coating.

Brick cheese

Legal

May be used freely.

Brie cheese

Legal

May be used occasionally.

Broccoli

Legal

Brussell sprouts

Legal

Buckwheat

Illegal

Bulgur

Illegal

Burdock root

Illegal

It contains inulin (FOS)
and mucilage.

Butter

Legal

Butter beans

Illegal

Buttermilk

Illegal

Cabbage

Legal

You should not use a member
of the cabbage family until you are well on your way to getting better.
In other words, do not use if you still have diarrhea
and gas.

Camembert cheese

Legal

May be used occasionally.

Cane Sugar

Illegal

Canellini beans

Illegal

Canned fish

Legal

Canned in oil or water
is acceptable but check the labels carefully. Do not buy products
containing "broth". Usually, the low sodium varieties do not contain
"broth".

Canned fruits

See note

Fruits canned in their
own juice are allowed.

Canned vegetables

Illegal

There are no canned vegetables
permitted, they must either be fresh or frozen.

Canola oil

Legal

Legal, but not recommended.

Cantaloupe

Legal

Capers

Legal

Carob

Illegal

Carrageenan

Illegal

Carrageenan is seaweed
and high in polysaccharides, therefore illegal.

Carrots

Legal

Casaba melon

Legal

Cashews

Legal

Nuts sold in mixtures
are not allowed, as most are roasted with a starch coating.

Contains things like
aspartame, maple or date sugar and other sugar substitutes which
are illegal.

Chia seeds

Illegal

Like flax seeds, they are mucilaginous
(polysaccharide complex) and will feed harmful microbes.

Chickory root

Illegal

Chickory root is not
legal. In my first book, I suggested that it might be used
instead of coffee beans. I have since learned that it contains
large amounts of fructooligosaccharides.
- Elaine

Chick peas

Illegal

Chlorella

Illegal

It is a blue-green
algae similar to spirulina

Chocolate

Illegal

Dr. Haas advised not to use cocoa or chocolate and this still goes, it isn't just the sugar he was worried about.

Cilantro

Legal

Cinnamon

Legal

Citric Acid

Legal

Citric acid as an additive
is OK

Club soda

Legal

Cocao butter

Legal

Unprocessed cocoa butter is legal.

Cocoa powder

Illegal

Dr. Haas advised not to use cocoa or
chocolate and this still goes, it
isn't just the sugar he was worried about.

Coconut

Legal

Fresh or unsweetened,
shredded coconut and coconut flour are all legal.

Coconut milk

Legal

May be tried after being
on the diet for 6 months.

Coconut oil

Legal

Withstands heat well, good for frying/cooking,

Coffee

Legal

Coffee should be made
very weak. Instant coffee is not allowed.

Coffee (instant)

Illegal

Collard greens

Legal

Of the cabbage family, introduce late in the diet

Colby cheese

Legal

May be used freely.

Cordials

Illegal

Corn

Illegal

Corn oil

Legal

Corn syrup

Illegal

Cornstarch

Illegal

Courgette

Legal

Also known as zucchini

Cranberry juice

Legal

We use Knudsen’s
Just Cranberry juice, as it has been checked out and does not have
sugar added. It can be found in most health food stores. Juice should
be diluted with water before drinking. Since this is pure cranberry
juice it is very tart, you may sweeten it with saccharine or honey
or dilute it with legal apple cider instead of water.

Cream

Illegal

It is illegal as it contains
lactose. Cream can be added to milk and then fermented to make
SCD™24hr
yoghurt as the lactsose will be used up in the fermentation.
Cream has less lactose than milk and the more fat it contains the
less lactose it has.

Cottage cheese

Illegal

Cream of Tartar

Illegal

Cream cheese

Illegal

Croscomellose sodium

Illegal

Cucumbers

Legal

Custard apple

Legal

Also known as sharifa
or cherimoya

Cyclamate

Legal

It is actually a better
alternative than saccharine, if you can get it, because it has no
aftertaste. But it's almost impossible to find by itself, and certainly
not available in NA.

Information published on this Web site is intended to support the book Breaking
The Vicious Cycle
by Elaine Gottschall and is for information purposes only. It
is not the intention of this site
to diagnose, prescribe, or replace medical
care. Your doctor or nutrition expert
should be consulted before undertaking
a radical change of diet.